Differences in Stepping Characteristics When Walking with Additional Task and Cognitive Demands

Melina A. McCabe, Hannah D. Carey, and Jessica L. Allen
Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505

Presentation Category: Engineering (Poster Presentation)

Student’s Major: Biomedical Engineering

Appropriate foot placement is required to maintain balance while walking. We investigated how foot placement during walking is modulated with additional task and cognitive demands. Three young adults walked overground for 6.4 meters at self-selected walking speed. To evaluate walking with additional task demands, subjects performed the Timed-Up-And-Go (TUG) test, which involves standing from a chair, walking 3m, turning, and walking back to the chair. Finally, each subject was retested through the same conditions with an additional cognitive demand (counting backwards by threes). We examined how step length, width, and their variability across steps differed between conditions. Preliminary data suggest that step length and width are smaller but more variable during TUG walking compared to overground walking. In addition, a large difference in step length and width variability was found in both overground and TUG walking when a cognitive task was added. This study shows how walking performance differs with a dual task and how challenging walking conditions cause more variable foot placement, which may contribute to a higher fall risk and more difficulty walking.

Funding:

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: a West Virginia SURE program